CORNISH — Voters will be asked to approve a town budget of $1.79 million, up $164,000 from the current year, as well as a highway budget of $699,452, up $106,000 from the current year, at Town Meeting on Tuesday, March 10.

In addition to the money articles, Town Meeting voters will be asked to approve two petitioned articles. One would ask state and federal legislators to enact carbon-pricing legislation and another would grant property tax exemptions for land with solar panels. 

Selectboard member Scott Baker is running uncontested to retain his seat. Also by Australian ballot, voters will be asked to decide whether to pass a zoning amendment relating to “Expanded Cottage Industry.”

On Saturday, March 7, voters will be asked to approve a school budget of $3.78 million, which is up about 4% from the budget voters approved last year. To support it, taxes are expected to go up 7.6% for an increase of $268 on a $250,000 home.  

The School Board seat currently occupied by Alexys Wilbur is up for election this year.

If voters approve all money articles at both the town and school meetings, the tax rate is expected to increase by $1.70 per $1,000 of property value, for an increase of $425 on a $250,000 home.

Cornish’s annual School District Meeting will take place in the Cornish Elementary School gymnasium on Saturday, March 7, at 1 p.m. Voting for school officers by Australian ballot that day will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Town Meeting will be held in the school gymnasium on Tuesday, March 10, at noon. Voting for town officers and a zoning amendment will be by Australian ballot that day. Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Correction

If all proposed municipal spending is approved at Cornish Town Meeting, the town tax rate would increase by an estimated 52 cents per $1,000 of valuation. If the school budget is approved at the annual School District Meeting, the school tax rate would increase by a projected $1.18 per $1,000 of valuation. The tax increase on a Cornish home assessed at $250,000 for town and school budgets combined would total $425. An earlier version of this story inadvertently overstated the potential tax increase from the municipal budget.